Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-26
WASHINGTON ARcHrrEcrURE.

WASHINGTON ARCHITECTURE.
By z. c. GARDNER,
AUTHOR OF "HousR THAT JILL BUnT," "HoxKs AND
ALL ABOUT THEM &C.
YIN.
THE CONGRESSMAN n FURTHER ApNoHnHYp.
dear John: How many times must tell you
that the nrst great commandment in the design
ing and planning OF q house, or OF any other
structure erected by mortal man, is Htnessf On
this hang all the law and the prophets; beauty,
comfort, utility, dignity. From this strong tower
are suspended the seven lamps and all the other
EXAMINATIONS that make the difference between
darkness and light, between wisdom and folly,
| success and failure In this the noblest OF all
human arts. And this is true whether the struct-
ure Is summer cottage built after the manner Of
medieval castle, or q government building COM
posed mainly OF small separate rooms for.specifc
modern business uses, but made, through the lack
OF SUFFICIENT ability to produce a design that is
Gent Greek temple. The fact That we have become
| accustomed to this bold confession of pOyerty Of
invention as regards the designs for our public
atfng folly. Ancient classic architecture in its
highest excellence was doubtless beyond criticism
for the noP which it was intended to
there are any such, but business offices, small,
light, were not, so far as we can learn the de-
mands that led to the evolution Of these noble
types. The ehort to adapt them to our modern
needs simply because they were excellent for their
original purpose, is as sensible as it would be to
build retail shoe store, or 'one-price mammoth
lance OF q gothic cathedral leaving on the spire
perhaps perm py way OF giving it secular air some
ness ends have been amended in various ways in
order to bring them into accord with the fat
headed 1atsided or other lifeless styles to which
negative fault, no more deplorable than the op-
poSite extreme especially when the building, as
usually happens is made to express sentiments
entirely foreign TO It's character, although it may
be in accord with the enterprising mercenary
spirit Of the age. AS long as buyers are easily
whether Of real estate, dry goods life Insurance
policies, newspapers or opera tickets find it neces-
sary or exped1ent to draw attention to the great
some sort, brass bands, red paint, or towering
architecture, no matter what, so 1t draws the
wondering eyes Of the ignorant and curious, just
80 long shal! we nave strange and wonderful de.
street architecture. Now and then hen an architect
ceptton Of the principle (Which am reiterating till
YOU Will be inclined to ring the chestnut belly, that
every structure should manifest in its design
CLEAR PERCEPTION OF IT'S OWN MISSION;
that church should be churchly; that an in
surance building should indicate something Of its
character as bulwark and guarantee Of safety,
rather than present the appearance of q triumphal
arch or monumental edifce on which the richness
OF the spolls taken from vanQuished enemy are
to be displayed; that dry goods store would bet
ter have the nghtneSs and grace belonging TO its
character, rather than the air Of cotton min or
Inclined TO usurp the functions OF the pupt it ia
trfe premature for 1t to adopt in its habitation
the external signs OF ecclesiasticism 1t has long
been source OF amaZement that the most charac-
terfstic and representative buildings OF modern
times, the railway stations should persist in TAX
Ing on forms OF extraordinary unf1tneSs and tncOn-
forms nurta
Tor dwellings, barns churches, town halls, hotels
or ANYTHING else under the canopy as for what
they really are, and II one may be allowed with be-
coming Difference to say So 1t is not easy to under
stand why dwelling house Of the nineteenth GEN.
fury In times of peace should be made in the like
ness OF feudal castle. so far as the apparent
strength OF its walls is concerned why 1t should
put on an air OF excessive humility, appropriate
enough for the home of the dumb beasts, that is,
for the stable, rather than frankly asserting the
dignity and active hospitality so becoming In
human abode. Life is not one "demnition grind"
load; neither is it fantastic tr1fiing with lights
and shadows that have no real substance or value
BY the same token, our domestic dwellings need
massive arches nor yet Of bay windows, hanging
balconies and ornamental turrets.
acknowledgement your last Short but pt II s ae
lin which you announce change or base from the
corner lot In the city to the Suburban site, and
oner the absurd suggestion that this change will
make no essential difference with the plans which
have been studying upon. 1t is because this sug-
sincerely made, that have taken pains to enlarge
upon the subject and try to make you understand
that there is radical principle involved; that
your house must be
ADAPTED BOTH TO ITS USE AND ITS SITUATION.
1t Is profound mistake, but very common
one, to attempt toembody in city house the same
features that are SO excellent In an isolated cOun-
try dwelling; still more common and inexcusable
ts it to build the suburban house as If it were to
sand in the midst OF long row OF buildings whose
n % OF NJ tI,ni~
neighbors and which can only see daylight through
their opposite ends. 1t is folly, for instance to
assume that because the broad porch and wide
entrance to the country house are essential to its
hoSpitabe appearance, that its city relative must
make an attempt however abortive to produce q
fact the hospitality OF the urban house must be
taken for granted without any external sign of
this Christian virtue: For one reason, such pro-
1esslOnS OF cordial welcome TO all passing pilgrims
would evidently be false pretence, because every
day, social life in the city is such that universal
hospitality is quite out Of the question Unless
when they only ask to rest under the shade or our
awnings, inquire the way to the next street, or
beg for cup OF cold water. 1t is not hospitality
but exclusion, courteous Of course, that is neces-
sary or at least we think so, and to profess any
thing else would be hypocrisy.
ferent affair from the lighting Of those that have
eyes on all sides AS Sort OF reason and cOmpen.
doubtless true that there is less use for DAYLIGHT
In the city than in the country. Whether this is
cause Or eject does not matter. The fact remains
that civilians turn night into day to much greater
extent than rustics and can much better AFFORD to
make their houses with dark or illy-lighted rooms
Perhaps shall have no better place than this ior
saying that "inside" rooms, as they are called
though undesirable enough, are not necessarily as
black as they are painted. Aside from the influ-
ence OF the direct rays upon our mortal frames It
is not easy to fnd reasons why q room that has no
windows opening directly out OF doors may not be
as wholesome as regards its atmosphere as one
having such windows that open only towards the
north or from which the sunlight is always ex-
cluded by blinds or curtains, provided, these in
ner rooms are abundantly supplied with fresh air
that has not been vittated by passing through
other apartments but comes in directly from out
Side. This thorough ventilation OF the central
part OF the houses built In large blocks is entirely
practicable and should no more be omitted than
the roof the floor any other essential portion of
the building. These inner rooms are OF value in
city house, but would seem almost worse than
wasted in a building that asks no permission to
look where 1t pleaSeS.
In many other respects and for reasons more or
less obvious but constantly overlooked there
should be different arrangements for the plumb
ing, the heating, the pOrches, the balconies the
replaces, the chimneys, the doors and windows.
In fact, there is
SCARCELY FEATURE OF THE COUNTRY OR SUBURBAN
T. b., HOUSE
which ought not for good and sufficient reasons to
4oHvv SEED>~-